Pep Guardiola expressed frustration over Arsenal’s tactics during Manchester City‘s dramatic 2-2 draw at the Etihad on Sunday.
John Stones scored a last-minute equalizer to rescue a point for City after Arsenal played the entire second half with 10 men following Leandro Trossard’s red card just before halftime.
Both sides were missing key players, with Arsenal‘s Martin Odegaard and City’s Kevin De Bruyne absent.
City also lost Rodri to injury in the first half, a concern Guardiola is yet to fully assess.
Despite these setbacks, Guardiola voiced his irritation with Arsenal players frequently going down with cramp as they tried to protect their lead.
“I don’t know how many [Arsenal] players went down with cramp,” Guardiola said, hinting at time-wasting tactics.
The referee added seven minutes of stoppage time, with additional time added after Arsenal’s Jurrien Timber went down with cramp, leading to Stones’ equalizer in the eighth extra minute.
Despite these frustrations, Guardiola acknowledged the difficulty of breaking through Arsenal’s defense, emphasizing that City ultimately received what they deserved.
Meanwhile, Arteta praised his team’s resilience despite the challenges they faced, highlighting the unusual nature of competing against the best team in the world with a numerical disadvantage.
Both teams remain unbeaten in the league, but the draw leaves City at the top, bringing a mix of relief and disappointment for both sides.
Article updated 4 months ago. Content is written and modified by multiple authors.
